The role of the youth in protecting Global Climate

The recent rise in sea levels, retreating glaciers, changes in precipitation patterns and the obvious warming of the globe is enough evidence that climate change is real.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) contends that the current rate of greenhouse gas emissions is likely to cause average temperatures to rise by 0.2 0C per decade.

It is a common knowledge that climate change is a global phenomenon; its negative impacts are more severely felt by poor people and poor countries. Studies reveal that poor countries are more vulnerable because of their high dependence on natural resources and limited capacity to cope with climate variability and extremes.

Climate change is real in Africa and the world at large. IPCC report on Regional Climate Change Projections in 2007 revealed that Africa continent is likely to record an increased average temperature of about 1.5 – 30C by 2050.

The situation is worrisome because most studies on climate change have classified Africa as the most vulnerable continent to suffer the risk of climate change in the world.

It is against this backdrop that the need to take steps to avoid the worst impacts of climate change has become obvious.

In the words of Ban Ki-Moon, the former Secretary General of the United Nations, “we are the first generation to be able to end poverty, and the last generation that can take steps to avoid the worst impacts of climate change.

Future generations will judge us harshly if we fail to uphold our moral and historical responsibilities.’’

This statement challenges our generation and places a collective responsibility and calls for duty on us to protect our environment.

In response to this call, the Global Youth Empowerment Centre, in partnership with Pentecost University College (Ghana), Climathon (Netherlands), and other partners have put together the Global Climate Forum 2020 (GCF2020) to discuss issues of Global Climate Change and consider the way forward.

The three day Model United Nations(MUN) simulation will be from the 5th to the 7th of March 2020 and will seek to address and increase the awareness of Climate Change emergence and the role of the youth in fighting climate change.

It shall include intensive panel discussions, climate change advocacy nomination, dialogue on various solutions to environmental disasters and climate change, clean up exercise, hang out and other activities.

It is the first ever largest global youth gathering in Ghana which will mobilize a diversity of delegates and policy makers from different countries including government officials,members of the Diplomatic Corp, international agency representatives, NGO’s, the media, youth and student based organizations to contribute to the efforts been made to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal 13.

This gathering will serve as a stepping stone to the realization and implementation of policies to mitigate this occurrence in Africa and the world at large.

The success of this gathering shall bring improvement in Global economies and sustained development coupled with a sound and intellectual youthful populace.

The Global youth Empowerment Centre call on community leaders and other stakeholders to come on board to discuss the issue of Climate Change which has been on the rise in recent times and negatively affecting the fight to ensure the availability of clean water and good sanitation, as well as affordable and clean energy globally by 2030 as provided in the Sustainable Development Goals 6 and 7 respectively.